Beech-Nut ends production in Canjo

March 27, 2011

CANAJOHARIE - Production at Beech-Nut's facility in the village ended Friday afternoon, bringing to a close an 80-year presence in the village.

Beech-Nut has moved all its production to its state-of-the-art building in the town of Florida.

"We are extremely grateful to the Canajoharie community for its unwavering support of Beech-Nut over the [years] that we had a presence in the town," Jim Schneider, Beech-Nut president and chief executive officer, said in a news release. "We realize this is an extremely sensitive issue for many residents."

Schneider said Beech-Nut will continue to work with local and state economic development officials to find a new use for the Canajoharie building. He said the new building in the town of Florida will allow the company to grow and to expand its operation and create new jobs and revenue for "sustained economic growth and development for Montgomery County and New York state."

Schneider said the end of an era in Canajoharie is the beginning of a new era "that we are confident will result in Beech-Nut's sustained presence for decades to come."

Earl Wells III, president of e3 Communications Inc., the public relations firm representing Beech-Nut, said the original target date of March 18 for ending production in Canajoharie was "sort of a moving target." The last shipments are expected to leave the Canajoharie facility Thursday.

The move from Canajoharie to the town of Florida had been anticipated for years. The village sued Beech-Nut in July 2008 in an effort to block the move, but abandoned the suit a year later.